The best current NBA player from every Sweet 16 team left in the NCAA Tournament
By Ben Handler
2. Marquette Golden Eagles: Jimmy Butler
The NBA isn’t exactly stacked with Marquette guys, but they did produce one of the league’s best players in Jimmy Butler. Butler was a bit of a late bloomer, both in college and the NBA, but he’s built a reputation and established himself as a true superstar - especially come playoff time.
After tenuous exits from Chicago and Minnesota, Butler has found a home in Miami and has become the face of ‘Heat Culture’ in recent years. One of the most lethal two-way players in the league, Jimmy has made five All-NBA teams and five All-Defense teams, and he’s led the Heat to the NBA Finals twice in the last four years.
He’s getting up there at age 34, and he’s constantly in and out of the lineup during the regular season. But he’s still averaging 21.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season. Plus, we all know that production will rise in the playoffs and he remains one of the league’s best wing defenders.
No matter how bad the Heat may look, and how far they may sink in the standings, nobody wants to see them in the postseason and that’s largely a reflection of their leader, Butler.
The only player ever to come out of Marquette and have a better NBA career was Dwyane Wade, who helped lead the same Heat to multiple championships during his Hall of Fame career.